Crime

The New York State Police continue to search for the two prisoners who escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, N.Y., on Saturday, June 6. The escape of 35-year-old David P. Sweat and 49-year-old Richard Matt was reported to state police early yesterday. Both were incarcerated for murder.

The Keeping Faith Fund of the Animal Alliance of Greater Syracuse has added another local case of animal abuse to four other cruelty cases for which they are seeking information and offering reward money.

Dog sparks conversation about abuse penalties

Reward offered for information regarding shooting of local pet

The Animal Alliance of Greater Syracuse (AAGS) is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for shooting a pet cat in Liverpool.

In this year’s midterm elections, Onondaga County had to elect a new sheriff after Kevin Walsh announced his retirement from the position he held for 20 years.
In a competitive race between Republican Gene Conway and Democrat Toby Shelley, Conway won the race by a margin of 8,000 votes.
Conway, who was chief of police for the town of DeWitt when he was elected, was sworn-in as sheriff on Dec. 17 at DeWitt Town Hall.
Eagle Newspapers reporter Hayleigh Gowans got the chance to interview Conway shortly before he takes office at midnight on Dec. 31.

Michael Iannettoni had been charged with driving while intoxicated five times when he killed Vincent Russo.
Iannettoni had four previous convictions for DWI and was awaiting sentencing on a fifth when he struck Russo’s car on Buckley Road in Liverpool on Jan. 9, 2011. Russo, 82, of Liverpool, was on his way to Mass. Iannettoni was drunk. Russo died three days later.
Iannettoni was convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide, first- and second-degree vehicular manslaughter, reckless driving, crossing a double solid line and failure to keep right. He was sentenced to eight and a third to 25 years in prison.
But for Russo’s family, it wasn’t enough; they believed he never should have been on the road that night in the first place, given his dangerous history. With the help of State Sen. John DeFrancisco, the Russo family pushed forward a law that would increase penalties for those with repeat drunk driving offenses.

On Oct. 31, the DeWitt Police Department arrested Jotina L. Albert, 41, of 304 East Ellis Street, East Syracuse, on charges of assault in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon fourth degree in connection with a dispute that resulted in the stabbing of Melvin Murrel, Jr., 45, also of 304 East Ellis Street.